By Chriss Street | CalWatchdog
SACRAMENTO — State Controller John Chiang shocked California legislators today when he sent a letter announcing that the state will run out of cash on March 8. That is, unless Legislature allows state Treasurer Bill Lockyer to delay $2.4 billion in payments to universities, counties and Medi-Cal, while borrowing another $3.3 [...]

By Jim Dooley | Hawaii Reporter
HONOLULU – The effects of newly downgraded tax revenue projections will be “minimal” for the current state budget but will be “quite considerable and severe” in future years, causing Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration to at least consider the possibility of future tax increases, Budget Director Kalbert Young said today.
Young’s comments [...]

By Jim Dooley | Hawaii Reporter
HONOLULU – State departments want to expand the budget by  some $334.7 million, Budget and Finance Director Kalbert Young said in the first of a series of money briefings to lawmakers planned for this week and next.
Young said new general fund requests from Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration total nearly $120 [...]

By PHIL DRAKE
Montana Watchdog
HELENA – The fruits of North Dakota’s good economic fortunes could also be benefitting Montana. And North Dakota residents who find work in Montana could be helping their state coffers as well.
One of the many variables that may have added some oomph to Montana’s budget projections is an agreement on individual income taxes [...]

By Frank Keegan, Editor of Watchdog.org
Taxpayers, prepare to be extorted and robbed.
If the first two state-of-the-state speeches Wednesday are any indication, we are in for it.
Fiscal mismanagement leaders California and New York opened the hunting season on taxpayers.
Forty three other state legislatures convene soon to deal with the fiscal carnage they wrought through political profligacy [...]